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I shrug his hand off me. Tears—furious this time—flow down my cheeks in rivers.
“I want my mommy! Where’s Mommy?”
I haven’t needed her in forever. Most of the time, she loves sleeping and her medication. I love reading my books and doing my homework. It’s no biggie. Most of the time.
But she has to wake up now. She has to take me away.
Anywhere except here where the ground shakes. Where the men I thought to be our friends hate me.
I bite my cheek harder, bleeding into my mouth.
“Yourmommy,“ Finn says in a mean tone. He shakes his head, looks at the floor, and at me again. “She’s not here. Your mommy and daddy are in trouble. They got into an accident and took our parents away.”
The booming in my heart stops in a second. Dad explained once that the angels took Grandma and Grandpa to heaven. I remember these were his exact words.
Daddy and Mommy aren’t angels. That I know of.
Angels don’t get so sick and need their medicine every single day.
This has to be a lie. Whatever they’re hiding, it’s a lie.
I hate being lied to.
“No!” I scream. “They didn’t!”
“Yes.” Falk yanks on my wrist again. “They did.”
“Liar!” My head whips to him.
Some of my blond locks cling to my damp cheek in the process.
“We’re not lying.” Mason bends at the waist, gripping my chin. “Your dad had too much of hismedicine. Then he and your mom got into a car to meet our parents at the home they were building. You remember the big house they showed you in pictures?”
I nod, wiping my running nose.
“Bri.” His tone is firm. His hand on my cheek is too. “They hit them with their truck. Pinned them to their future house. Our parents are gone.”
“No, no, no.” I free myself from his hold, shaking my head. I loved their parents. They can’t be gone. They can’t.
This is a nightmare. Has to be.
“Shut up!” I scream, willing myself to wake up.
“They’re dead, Briar,” Finn says. “Do you know whatdeadmeans?”
My chin wobbles, more than before. Being brave and calling them liars turns into a struggle.
“D-Darcy and E-E-Eugene are in heaven?” I repeat what I was told.
Falk growls behind me.
“Yes.” Fin nods, another tear slipping out of the corner of his hazel eye. Darcy, his mommy, said he got the color from his great-grandpa.
Those eyes are supposed to shine with happiness. I hate it when he’s sad.
I raise my little hand to his much larger face, about to swipe it off him.
“Talking time is over.” Falk releases me for a second. “At least one of your parents will be charged with manslaughter. So guess what? You’re stuck with us.”
